Ursa Major

American  

[ur-suh mey-jer] / ˈɜr sə ˈmeɪ dʒər /

noun

Astronomy.

genitive

Ursae Majoris

1. the Great Bear, the most prominent northern constellation, containing the seven stars that form the Big Dipper.

---

Ursa Major British  

/ ˈɜːsə ˈmeɪdʒə /

noun

1. Also called: the Great Bear.   the Bear.  an extensive conspicuous constellation in the N hemisphere, visible north of latitude 40°. The seven brightest stars form the Plough. A line through the two brightest stars points to the Pole Star lying in Ursa Minor

---

Ursa Major Scientific  

/ ûr′sə /

1. A constellation in the polar region of the Northern Hemisphere near Draco and Leo. Ursa Major (the Great Bear) contains the seven stars that form the Big Dipper.

---

Ursa Major Cultural  

1. A constellation; the Great Bear. (See Big Dipper.)

---

Etymology

Origin of Ursa Major

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

In 2002, she and Meyer moved into Ursa Major, an architectural landmark whose pool had an entrance in the living room floor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

A Russian cargo ship, Ursa Major, has sunk in the Mediterranean between Spain and Algeria after an explosion in the engine room, Russia's foreign ministry has confirmed.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2024

Located 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major, this galaxy is relatively compact in size but hosts a frenzy of star formation activity.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2024

Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most prominent northern constellations, and its main claim to fame is that it contains the Big Dipper, a highly recognizable asterism.

From National Geographic • Aug. 23, 2023

The stuff seemed to go on forever, and if it hadn’t been for Ursa Major, we would’ve gotten lost.

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan